1. Field of The Invention
This invention relates to a resinous foam-like material which may be formed into resin kernels. The thermosetting resin material may contain a reactive media that will treat liquid, air or gases. This can happen by purification or ionic or catalytic exchange of chemicals when a liquid, air or gas flows through the foam-like material. In another example, the foam-like material can become the structural host for bacteria and thereby become a biological reactor for removing toxic substances such as ammonia from marine water sources. A related method of making the resinous foam-like material is also disclosed.
2. Background Information and Description of the Prior Art
It has become increasingly important in today's commercial and industrial society to develop efficient methods and devices for purifying liquids and for reclaiming useful products from liquids which may have been used in another chemical reaction. The need for purification of liquids has become more substantial due to stringent environmental standards. There is a great necessity for inexpensive and commercially viable methods of purifying liquids and reclaiming useful substances from liquids in the current environmentally-conscious and cost-conscious business climate. A need arises for providing superior economical and efficient ionic reactive media for use in ionic exchange reactions for reclaiming products such as minerals, organic substances and the like from a solution which may have been used for another purpose. In addition, there is a need for simple, easy-to-use methods of purification of liquids, such as water or chemicals, which are to be discharged into effluent water supplies. In summary, there are many circumstances in which a liquid is to be treated by reaction with a particular chemical or bacteria for such purposes and others.
One example of a method of reclaiming precious metals is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,613 owned by the inventor of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,613 discloses a reusable precious metal recovery cartridge. The cartridge contains a spiral rolled exchange mass which contains fine particles of a replacement metal of higher electromotive force than the metal to be recovered. The cartridge is particularly useful for reclaiming silver from spent photographic chemical solutions. The spent photographic solutions are sent through the cartridge and the silver is replaced by iron which is contained in the spiral exchange mass. The silver is later reclaimed from the cartridge for other uses. Although the cartridge has many advantages, it is a fixed size and configuration. This means that it cannot be used in a non-conforming configuration which may be preferred or required in a particular application. There remains a need for a method and apparatus for performing ionic exchange reactions which is not dependent upon the particular size of a conduit or vessel. In addition, there remains a need for providing a foam-like material which will harden in situ or small kernels of the foam-like material which can be used with a container of any desired configuration.
An example of one method of purification of liquids is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,448 (owned by the inventor of the present invention) which discloses a method for removing substances from a solution. The method relates to the use of an activated carbon absorption chamber onto which chemicals such as ammonia and hydroquinone will adsorb and thus be removed from the liquid being treated. These chemicals may be hazardous to health and the environment. It is desirable to remove or minimize such substances prior to discharge of the solution into the environment. The system, however, also uses a vessel having a fixed configuration.
Particles of polyurethane which contain biologically active materials were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,855,052. These particles can be used as carriers in microbic synthesis processes for the production of complicated organic compounds and as special carriers for the growth of plants. These particles are highly water absorbent.
Selective adsorbing particles were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,360. The particles are formed by creating a dispersion of activated charcoal in a hydrophilic solvent solution. The particles are useful with various organic compounds such as antibiotics, dyestuffs, nucleic acids, proteins and enzymes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,837 discloses a method of removing phosphate from waste water by contacting the waste water with a water-insoluble composition comprising hydrous iron oxide coated on a particulate support.
Magnetic beads of vinyl aromatic polymers were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,337. The beads are useful in paints, inks, reprography and in biology.
A composite material composed of a support material with a permeable gel retainer on the support material was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,339. The permeable gel contains an active material capable of retaining a chemical species from a fluid substance.
A method for removing radioactive iodine from liquid and gaseous waste streams using a silicate or charcoal member containing heavy metal cations was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,477.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,954 discloses an oil absorbent floor cleaning composition which involves use of a foam substance which includes detergents and an organic solvent.
However, there remains a need for a thermosetting resin substance with reactive media impregnated therein in kernel form or formed in larger particles which are capable of forming an open cellular sponge which can be used to filter, purify or chemically alter a liquid to be treated. There also remains a need for a simple, low cost substance which is easy to use, and which can be utilized with a container or vessel of any size or configuration.